Ansel Adams

Happy Birthday to You

Ansel Adams, photographer and environmentalist, was born
February 20, 1902.

He was a native Californian and is best known for his black and white photographs of Yosemite National Park. Despite the weight and size of the equipment available during his lifetime, he used large-format cameras, packing them long distances into remote areas, admist the harshest of elements, in order to obtain just the right lighting, exposure and contrast.

His prints are everywhere - books, calendars, postcards, mousepads, posters, coffee cups - and are a constant reminder of our obligation to protect the natural beauty of our planet.

Nothing but a black and white theme will do.


Buffalo print placemats help to lend a casual feeling to the setting.
Old 35 mm film rolls are sprayed black and used for place cards.







Wild flowers, votive candles,
strips of film, and a vintage camera
line the center of the table.

Three-sided Ansel Adams Lanterns,
adapted from a Martha Stewart craft, display a few of Adams' famous photographs.



Cardboard frames were made in various sizes (Martha used real frames.)
Prints from the internet were sized to fit the frames and printed on standard printing paper (not vellum paper). The lantern sides were taped together with black duct tape.
Small battery powdered string lights were inserted and a cardboard triangle was set on top.
Additional pictures of the construction can be found on the How-To Page.

For more information on Ansel Adams, visit the Sierra Club's history page .


Black-stemmed wine and water goblets: no information, Pasadena Flea Market
White dinner plates (acting as chargers): Apilco, William-Sonoma
Black dinner plates: no markings, Yard Sale
White salad/soup bowls: Elements, Crate & Barrel
Flatware: Can't remember
Napkins: handmade
Placemats: Sur La Table
Camera: No.1-A Autographic Kodak Jr., Eastman Kodak (marketed from 1914 - 1927), inherited



I have linked to:
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday,
. . . off on my tangent . . . for Alphabe-Thursday's Letter S (snapshot) and
Nikki's Nifty Knacks for Getting Crafty on Hump Day and
A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.